The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

A brief instructional handbook for
laypeople interested in Christian ministry.

In this book, Etoori (Visions
of Glory, 2015, etc.) covers such eclectic topics as prayer, the gender and
character of God, and the meaning of true obedience as he shares his
accumulated knowledge about the nature of spiritual leadership. The author
addresses theological questions, such as the relationship between faith and
knowledge, provides interpretations of biblical text, and directly addresses
the challenges that may confront any lay ministry. Many readers will find his
disambiguation of salvation and rebirth to be particularly instructive given
the growth of evangelical religion today. The principal theological theme
undergirding Etoori’s account, though, seems to be the kingdom of God; at one
point, he memorably describes the Bible as the kingdom’s constitution. A preoccupation
with eschatology also haunts the work, and Etoori finds reasons to believe that
the final days, and the divine judgment that comes with them, are imminent. The
author is at his best when he articulates the limitations of ministry: “Sometimes
we forget that even if the person does not get saved immediately our witness
may have sown a seed in them, which will bear fruit later.” Although the author
explicitly bills this book as a guide, it’s too scattershot in its organization
to be a useful reference. Etoori’s writing is unfailingly clear and direct, but
the book would have been more pedagogically effective if he’d included more
discussions of his own experiences rather than a series of lessons and
conclusions. For example, the book ends with what he calls a “short story”—a
valuable, illustrative anecdotal account of a predicament he once faced as a
minister. Still, the author manages to discuss difficult theological and
exegetical issues in admirably accessible prose. Some readers may find that it
takes on a proselytizing tone, but this is unlikely to overly discomfit the
book’s target audience.

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